


Under Protection

by Meggnog



Series: Queer Daryl Dixon [2]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Slurs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-13
Updated: 2015-11-13
Packaged: 2018-05-01 11:05:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5203448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meggnog/pseuds/Meggnog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merle's just trying to protect Daryl. Daryl doesn't understand what from.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Under Protection

**Author's Note:**

> Part 2 of my series about Daryl being queer. It's also very short, but the parts should get longer as the story progresses, especially when the story goes past the outbreak.

It had been his brother who'd enlightened him, eventually. Who'd explained to Daryl what that word he heard 20 times a day really meant. Merle been shitfaced drunk as per usual, and had some of his dickhead friends round getting high on god knows what. Daryl had been sat in the corner pretending to do his homework, but actually listening in to the conversation. 

"Damnit Merle, why does the beer you buy always taste like piss? God knows why I still hang around here when you try to fuckin' poison us with this crap" 

"It's cause y'all know that it's more than any of you can afford, even if it is piss. And I ain't chargin' you for it, so shut your godamn mouth" Merle shot back at one (Daryl didn't know or care what his name was) of his asshole friends. 

"Hey, did y'all hear about Tyler?" Another one of the boys piped up. 

"You gonna share the latest gossip?" The first asshole scoffed. "What are we, 13 year old girls at a slumber party or some shit?" 

"Well them girls'd certainly be better company than you sorry bastards" A third guy leered with a sickening grin on his face that made Daryl wince slightly. It scared him when his brother's friends talked about girls only a couple of grades above him like that when they were so much older than them. 

"Shut it. Go on, Randy, what about Tyler? He knock some girl up or somethin'?" Merle urged. 

"Nah, bet his Daddy's wishin' he had though. He's a faggot." At this, Daryl noticed that all the boys pulled the same disgusted face. "Got caught by his own Momma with some guy from the pizza place."

"Well, I sure as shit ain't eatin' in that place no more" Merle muttered, as all his friends nodded their agreement. 

"Damn straight" Randy replied. "Can't believe I had a faggot for a lab partner though, all that time. Lord knows what could've happened, I mean when you think-"

"What's a faggot?" Daryl interrupted, his soft voice cutting through the older boy's rant. 

"DARYL! How many times I gotta tell ya? When my friends are here you sit there and you keep your godamn mouth shut, else you sit on the porch where I can't see your stupid face" Merle snapped. 

"Let him be, the boy asked a question." Randy sniggered. "Ain't y'all gonna answer him? You're his big brother, after all. S'your job to be tellin' him what he's gotta protect himself from."

All the boys leaned forward expectantly, keen to egg Randy on and force Merle to give his brother an explanation. The oldest boy sighed. 

"Look, what's Tyler's kid brother called? The one in your grade?"

"Wayne?" Daryl supplied. 

"Yeah, well, all you gotta know is that I don't want you hangin' round him no more. And you got his brother to thank for that, y'hear me?"

"But why?" Daryl pressed. "You still ain't told me what a faggot is." 

Merle rolled his eyes. 

"Damnit Daryl, do I have to fuckin' spell it out for ya? You really that dumb?" When his brother didn't respond, he continued in an exasperated tone.

"It means he don't like to go with girls. Y'know, kiss em and stuff. It means he likes to do that shit with other boys, like what you sometimes see on TV. Like what me and daddy are always sayin' ain't natural. Like what you know is bad, right?" 

"Right." Daryl mumbled back.

"So don't y'all go talking to that fag's brother no more, y'understand?"

"Yeah, for all we know that shit's catchin'"

"Shut it Randy. I ain't talkin' to you." Merle's face and voice suddenly grew far more serious, and he appeared much less drunk than he had a few moments ago. "You understand Daryl? And if you don't do as I say and Daddy finds out, he ain't gonna be nearly as nice about it as I was today, got it?"

"Yes Merle"

"Good kid. Now go sit on the front porch and leave us in peace." 

~ 

Daryl was 12 years old when he first learned what the word faggot meant, but it would be another 4 years but he realised that that word applied to him.

**Author's Note:**

> Just for reference, in this Merle is around 7 years older than Daryl. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading and please leave a comment! ^_^


End file.
